The National Ballet Of Canada Tours To Ottawa's National Arts Centre

Karen Kain, Artistic Director of The National Ballet of Canada, and Barry Hughson, Executive Director, today announced that the company returns to the National Arts Centre, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary season. The National Ballet will perform a triple bill featuring Justin Peck's Paz de la Jolla, George Balanchine's Apollo and Frederick Ashton's The Dream, onstage January 31 February 2, 2019. #NBOConTour

The National Ballet was the first company to perform at the NAC's Southam Hall on the opening night, June 2, 1969. Since then, the company has performed more than 400 times on the NAC's stage.

The company's tour to Ottawa has been a long-standing tradition since the NAC opened in 1969 when the National Ballet danced the inaugural performance at Southam Hall. It is wonderful to be able to celebrate the NAC's 50th anniversary season with an exciting mixed programme featuring Paz de la Jolla, Apollo, and The Dream, said Ms. Kain.

Apollo is considered a masterpiece of neoclassicism and one of the most renowned collaborations between George Balanchine and composer Igor Stravinsky. The opening night on January 31 features Principal Dancer Harrison James as Apollo, First Soloist Alexandra MacDonald as Polyhymnia, Second Soloist Miyoko Koyasu as Calliope, who are all making their debuts in the roles, and Principal Dancer Heather Ogden as Terpsichore. Also making their debuts in Ottawa are First Soloist Brendan Saye as Apollo, Principal Dancer Svetlana Lunkina as Terpsichore, Principal Dancer Jillian Vanstone and Corps de Ballet member Jeannine Haller as Polyhymnia and Corps de Ballet member Calley Skalnik as Calliope.

Created in 2013 by New York City Ballet dancer and Resident Choreographer Justin Peck, Paz de la Jolla is a sun-washed homage to his southern California upbringing. Set to Bohuslav Martin 's Sinfonietta la Jolla, Paz de la Jolla was performed on the National Ballet's tour to Moscow and St. Petersburg in October 2018. The opening night cast will feature Principal Dancer Harrison James, First Soloist Chelsy Meiss and Corps de Ballet member Antonella Martinelli who will make her debut.

Frederick Ashton's The Dream, based on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, is a one-act re-imagining set to music by Felix Mendelssohn. On opening night, Principal Dancers Jillian Vanstone and Harrison James will dance the roles of Titania and Oberon with Corps de Ballet member Siphesihle November as Puck.

The NAC will create a podcast featuring Ms. Kain and Artist-in-Residence Rex Harrington discussing their memories and experiences performing at the centre. They will also give an opening night pre-performance talk moderated by Cathy Levy, NAC Executive Producer, Dance, at the Peter Herrndorf Place, on January 31, 2019.

The National Ballet artists will take company class on stage at the NAC's Southam Hall on February 2, 2019 at 1:00 pm. During this free event, the public will be invited to see how the company's dancers train in this 75-minute class led by Artist-in-Residence Rex Harrington and moderated by Associate Artistic Director Christopher Stowell.

The NAC Orchestra, under the direction of Guest Conductor Ormsby Wilkins, will accompany the National Ballet's Ottawa season performances.

Principal Casting

Paz de la Jolla
Chelsy Meiss (January 31 at 8:00 pm, February 2 at 8:00 pm)
Jenna Savella (February 1 at 8:00 pm)

Antonella Martinelli* and Harrison James (January 31, February 2 at 8:00 pm)
Chelsy Meiss and Brendan Saye (February 1 at 8:00 pm)

Apollo
Apollo
Brendan Saye* (January 31 at 8:00 pm, February 2 at 8:00 pm)
Harrison James* (February 1 at 8:00 pm)

Terpsichore
Heather Ogden (January 31 at 8:00 pm, February 2 at 8:00 pm)
Svetlana Lunkina* (February 1 at 8:00 pm)

Polyhymnia
Alexandra MacDonald* (January 31 at 8:00 pm)
Jillian Vanstone* (February 1 at 8:00 pm)
Jeannine Haller* (February 2 at 8:00 pm)

Calliope
Miyoko Koyasu* (January 31 at 8:00 pm, February 2 at 8:00 pm)
Calley Skalnik* (February 1 at 8:00 pm)

The Dream
Titania
Jillian Vanstone (January 31 at 8:00 pm, February 2 at 8:00 pm)
Alexandra MacDonald (February 1 at 8:00 pm)

Oberon
Harrison James (January 31 at 8:00 pm)
Brendan Saye (February 1 at 8:00 pm)
Naoya Ebe (February 2 at 8:00 pm)

Puck
Siphesihle November (January 31 at 8:00 pm)
Donald Thom (February 1 at 8:00 pm)
Skylar Campbell (February 2 at 8:00 pm)

* Debut

All casting is subject to change.

More Information About the Tour to Ottawa >

To post a comment, you must register and login.